Making Animation Programs, ** Old Experts Topic ** Options

[AdilFaQah]

Hey!
There are different ways of making an animation programs. But what is the most efficient way?

What my idea is, is to save the x, y, and image_angle etc of an object to a variable then. Each of this "packet" is related to a frame number. Like in frame one, I make all these changes, so when I go to frame two, the changes of the first frame are saved.

Hence, when I go to frame one the objects reset to the instructions in the packet for frame one. But is this method efficient? Or is it going to be slow with hundreds of frames, if so, then what is the better way? And how can other aspects of animation program can be implemented.

Here is what I have made so far. It is 8.80 KB and opensource. So you can learn from it or extend it instead of starting from a scratch. But you are not allowed to take it an mark it as your own creation.

Direct Download



-AdilFaQah

This post has been edited by xot: Apr 13 2008, 06:09 AM

Reason for edit: ** Old Experts Topic **

[DarksideX]

Ive never tried making a animation program so i decided to give it a go. Heres what i got.

ClickHere

It saves the objects x , y , image_angle , image_alpha in arrays. And in every frame it sets the object to the correct position and angle of that frame. I dont think this is the most efficent way to do this. But this is a good start i think.

Press F1 for controls

-Ali

[MooCow]

On something where there will be a lot of frames, arrays will be slow. I reccomend using datastructures.

[Josh]

INI files? I'll give a shot at this. But the thing is you wanna know how to make a program where you animate the objects? Or something where people can import images/sprites and loop them or not and export them?

[Juju]

What my idea is, is to save the x, y, and image_angle etc of an object to a variable

I would only record the variety of variables when and if they changed. For example, in frame 1 a blue circle would be at (0,0) then in frame 4 it could suddenly move to (5,0). It's more processor effecient and memory effecient only to record the changes of a value rather than record the value itself at all times.

[AdilFaQah]

MooCow: Ah yes, data structures will definitly be more faster. But I do find arrays easier to use. But at how many "frames" will the difference show?

Josh: I have seen only one frame-by-frame animator made with Game Maker. I mean fbf is so much better. I lets you make animations a lot more easily. And I am talking only about exporting. Importing will be difficult, but it should only be possible for file made WITH the program. I am talking about something like Flash.

theman: Yes, that will certainly make it faster. Why didn't I think of it...

-AdilFaQah

[percsich.hu]

I also prefer data structures.
ds_lists are extremely powerful and easy to use. I have a 3D animation program 3D Animation Creator which uses ds_list. You can set keyframes, then the program calculates the inbetween frames.

[Juju]

Yes, that will certainly make it faster. Why didn't I think of it...

I've done this kind of this before in other programming languages, you learn a few tricks on the way. Bear in mind that using a system of tweening, for example applying a horizontal speed and a vertical speed over a certain number of frames can also yeild good results.

[AdilFaQah]

DarksideX: I finally got around to seeing yours. It is pretty good, add a GUI and it could be better.

percsich.hu: Does your program only offer motion tweening? Shape tweening would be cool too.

theman: You sir, have solved my problem of adding motion tweeing. Thanks!

Hmm, and hey I was wondering instead of only discussing speed issuses, we could discuss things like tweening etc.

[Pie Person!]

You might see me every where, and you might see me doing many different things.
Well, the truth is, I am. I have MANY projects, and the crazy thing is that iv'e keped up with all of them at an avarage pace.

I have been intrested in software creation to, and Iv'e been planing some thing for along time.
It will be a highly complex task, I have already recorded someth'n 50 D&D effects like flames, 2 Image effects like motion blur, and I have encountered many MANY cool tools like multi alpha brushes!
It focuses on making a simple MS Paint, and increasing the content.

It will also include an animation tool.

My problem starts here, how can I save all of the subimages and then put them to gether in the right order to combinde it into an animated .GIF file in the click of the save button?

[AdilFaQah]

Actually, I know how to do that and I got my answer from the GMC. It used some external program to combine images with ascending numbers like "image1.gif, image2.gif,image2.gif" etc. Try searching the Extending GM forum.

And are you saying you have added those effects for fbf?

[Pie Person!]

Im say'n Those effects are currently in progress for my new program.

Thanks

[AdilFaQah]

I mean those effects will be able to be edited frame by frame? And is your program a frame by frame one?

[ChipChamp]

I'm making a drawing program too and for the animation I just got this code from some guy in the nivice answers and questions forum about that. Although I decided to just save all the frames and then compile them in the sprite editor because the code is too long fo rme to understand... Lol

[Pie Person!]

It depends what mode you are animating in.

Frame by Frame mode-This mode does NOT support pre-animated effects, triggered paths, triggered rotations and triggered settings.etc
It DOES support redrawing and editing the animation images.etc

(You have to do all the frames your self)

Trigger Mode- uses paths for rotation and position and every thing is animated by a trigger.etc.

It supports only pre-animated effects (This mode does not support painting new pictures or non-triggered events.)

[OpticalLiam]

One word. Tweening.

[Juju]

One word. Tweening.

Own'd.

My problem starts here, how can I save all of the subimages and then put them to gether in the right order to combinde it into an animated .GIF file in the click of the save button?

CODE

sprite_add_from_surface(ind,id,x,y,w,h)

I'm sure you'll think of an imaginative way to use that function.

[coolsmile]

Hey! I was working on a program like pivot and some other stick animation things, I have a simple example that I gave up on a couple months ago, it's not finished and not everything works but here is the link: Download Here

Edit: The link isn't working right now, but it is the right link , just give it awhile

This post has been edited by coolsmile: Oct 15 2006, 11:40 PM

[AdilFaQah]

Pie Person!: Ah okay then.

OpticalLiam: Yes that is what I think too. I will be working on implementing it.

coolsmile: Hey it is really welldone. The frames system is pretty flexible.

Anyways check the first post. You can use it to add more things, and use it instead startong from a scratch.

[Seeker]

Here's the link to a topic where I put together a script that lets you easily combine images from different files into a single animation. Click Here It may be of use to you. After that's done, if you want to export the image as a gif or whatever, you'll need an external program. I've heard that GMMagick can do that for you, but haven't investigated it myself.